IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,508,669
Granted Patent B2
US 12,508,669 · App. 17/406,211 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Method for welding copper-including members, and method for manufacturing electrical rotating machine

Inventors: Tetsuo Sakai (Taito, JP); Masakazu Kikawada (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
B23K26/21B23K26/03B23K26/082H02K15/04H02K15/062B23K2101/38B23K2103/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,508,669
App. No.
17/406,211
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for welding copper-including members includes laser-welding a first member that includes copper, and a second member that includes copper and is located adjacent to the first member. A welding surface of the first member and a welding surface of the second member are melted by moving an irradiation position of a laser to turn in a spiral shape while approaching a center of the spiral when irradiating the laser on the welding surface of the first member and the welding surface of the second member.

Claims (42)

1 . A method for welding copper-including members, the method comprising:

laser-welding a first member and a second member, the first member including copper, the second member including copper and being located adjacent to the first member, the first member and the second member being inclined with respect to a direction of gravity, or the first member and the second member being substantially parallel to the direction of gravity, when irradiating a laser, a welding surface of the first member and a welding surface of the second member being aligned in a direction intersecting the laser irradiation direction,

the welding surface of the first member and the welding surface of the second member being melted by moving an irradiation position of the laser to turn in a spiral shape while approaching a center of the spiral when irradiating the laser on the welding surface of the first member and the welding surface of the second member, the irradiation position of the laser being moved inward from an outer side of the spiral, and

a start position of the laser irradiation being at the welding surface of the first member, on a side of the welding surface of the second member, and the center of the spiral being at the welding surface of the second member, or

the start position of the laser irradiation being between the welding surface of the first member and the welding surface of the second member.

2 . The method for welding copper-including members according to claim 1 , wherein

the irradiation position of the laser is moved to turn in the spiral shape while approaching the center of the spiral, and then continues to be moved from the center of the spiral or a vicinity of the center of the spiral to turn in a spiral shape away from the center of the spiral.

3 . The method for welding copper-including members according to claim 1 , wherein

an angle between a direction of gravity and a side surface of the first member is not less than 0° and not more than 15°.

4 . The method for welding copper-including members according to claim 1 , wherein

an angle between a direction of gravity and a side surface of the second member is not less than 0° and not more than 15°.

5 . The method for welding copper-including members according to claim 1 , wherein

the laser is irradiated multiple times in the spiral shape.

6 . The method for welding copper-including members according to claim 1 , wherein

the laser welding includes:

detecting a sound generated when at least one of the welding surface of the first member or the welding surface of the second member melts, the sound including a prescribed frequency; and

detecting a start of the laser welding based on the detected sound.

7 . The method for welding copper-including members according to claim 1 , wherein

the start position of the laser irradiation is at the welding surface of the first member, on the side of the welding surface of the second member, and the center of the spiral is at the welding surface of the second member.

8 . The method for welding copper-including members according to claim 1 , wherein

the start position of the laser irradiation is between the welding surface of the first member and the welding surface of the second member.

9 . A method for welding copper-including members, the method comprising:

laser-welding a first member and a second member, the first member including copper, the second member including copper and being located adjacent to the first member,

the first member and the second member being inclined with respect to a direction of gravity, or the first member and the second member being substantially parallel to the direction of gravity, when irradiating a laser, a welding surface of the first member and a welding surface of the second member being aligned in a direction intersecting the laser irradiation direction,

the welding surface of the inclined first member and the welding surface of the inclined second member being melted by irradiating the laser in a spiral shape on the welding surface of the inclined first member and the welding surface of the inclined second member, an irradiation position of the laser being moved inward from an outer side of the spiral, and

a start position of the laser irradiation being at the welding surface of the first member, on a side of the welding surface of the second member, and the center of the spiral being at the welding surface of the second member, or

the start position of the laser irradiation being between the welding surface of the first member and the welding surface of the second member.

10 . The method for welding copper-including members according to claim 9 , wherein

the irradiation position of the laser is moved to turn in the spiral shape while approaching a center of the spiral, and then continues to be moved from the center of the spiral or a vicinity of the center of the spiral to turn in a spiral shape away from the center of the spiral.

11 . A method for welding copper-including members, the method comprising:

laser-welding a first member and a second member, the first member including copper, the second member including copper and being located adjacent to the first member, the first member and the second member being inclined with respect to a direction of gravity, or the first member and the second member being substantially parallel to the direction of gravity, when irradiating a laser, a welding surface of the first member and a welding surface of the second member being aligned in a direction intersecting the laser irradiation direction,

the welding surface of the first member and the welding surface of the second member being melted by irradiating the laser in a spiral shape when irradiating the laser on the welding surface of the first member and the welding surface of the second member, an irradiation position of the laser being moved inward from an outer side of the spiral,

a start position of the laser irradiation being at the welding surface of the first member, on a side of the welding surface of the second member, and the center of the spiral being at the welding surface of the second member, or

the start position of the laser irradiation being between the welding surface of the first member and the welding surface of the second member,

a sound that includes a prescribed frequency being detected,

the sound being generated when at least one of the welding surface of the first member or the welding surface of the second member melts, and

a start of the laser welding being detected based on the detected sound.

12 . A method for manufacturing an electrical rotating machine, the method comprising:

mounting a coil in a plurality of slots,

the coil including copper,

the coil including a plurality of segment conductors, and

the mounting of the coil including welding end surfaces of the plurality of segment conductors using the method for welding copper-including members according to claim 1 .

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Jul 18, 2025
From: TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 072053/0393 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2021
From: SAKAI, TETSUO; KIKAWADA, MASAKAZU
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057789/0237 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2019006721 · Feb 22, 2019
Related Publication 20210379698A1 · Dec 9, 2021
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